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Temperature Control. By A. J *SLEY. 5: x 8+ in.; viii 127 pp.; 81 figures. London: Chapman and Hall, Ltd., 1942. Price: 13s. 6d. There is need for a compact and practical treatise on temperature control, but i t cannot be said that this want is supplied by the present book. The descriptions are u o t clear, the figures are often unsatisfactory (one is printed upside down), and the lettering on the figures often does not correspond with that in the text. S o indication is given of the degree of temperature control possible v i t h the various types of apparatus. The spelling is often weak and there are some disturbing blunders, as when the boiling point of sulfur is given as its melting point and when aniline is recommended as a non-inflammable liquid. Although there is some useful information in the book it is on the whole a disappointing performance a n d in the reviwer's opinion is not likely t o be of much service in a scientific laboratory unless the user has already a good knowledge of the general methods of temperature control. Particular difficulties encountered x i t h various types of apparatus and the best means of overcoming them are usually not mentioned, and the reader who expects t o firid such useful information will generally be disappointed. The construction of one or two very simple pieces of apparatus is described in unnecessary detail and the general impression received is that the author is not himself familiar rritli most of the apparatus he a t tempts t o describe. J. R . PARTIKGTON. Hydrogen I o n s . Their Determination and Importance in Pure and Applied Chemistry. By H. T. S. BRITTOX.(Monographs on Applied Chemistry, edited by E. H. Tripp). Third edition. Two volumes. 54 x S i in.; xix 420 pp. , 86 figures; xix 443 pp., 165 figures. London: Chapman a n d Hall, Ltd., 1942. Price: 36 s . each volume. The third edition of this well-known work has several new chapters added and now appears in two volumes. The first volume deals with the theory and methods of determining hydrogen-ion concentration, and the second chiefly with the applications in pure and a p plied chemistry. The chapter on the modern theory of electrolytes in the first volume has been largely rewritten and is a n improvement on that in the second edition, but the activity concept has not been much used in the remaining text, the author basing electrode potentials and pH values on a hydrogen electrode standardized in terms of hydrogen-ion concentration a s determined by conductivity ratio. Although he points out t h a t most of the earlier buffer standards are based on this procedure, i t can hardly be regarded as in step with modern work. I n practice, the actual standard is some valne assigned to a calomel or other secondary electrode, and as the author states clearly what values he assumes for this, his own figures are free from ambiguity. Whether other authors whose values he quotes have adopted the same standard is not clear. There are new chapters on the modern views of acids and bases, the dissociation constants of polybasic acids, and on redox potentials and indicators. The bearing of the subject on analytical chemistry receives consideration, especially in the second volume. A feature of the book is the very practical character of the treatment, the apparatus and manipulation being fully described and tables of numerical data given. This makes it likely to be very useful in the laboratory, and as the field of applications covered is very large, i t should make a wide appeal in this direction. As it contains a large amount of useful information and d a t a , with literature references, i t should find a place in every laboratory where work on hydrogen ions is carried out. It is well printed on good paper. J. R. PARTISGTOK,
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The Theory of Emulsions and their Technical Treatment. By WILLIAXCLAYTON.4th edition. 10 x in.; vii 4'32 pp. London: J. and A. Churchill, Ltd., 1942. Price: 42 s . An enormous capital is involved in the industrial application of emulsions. This fact, together with the unsatisfactory scientific approach t o the study of the phenomenon of emulsions, which until very recently has taken place, has led industry to formulate a series of cookbook recipes of semi-secret nature, built up by empirical practice. The nature and
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stability of emulsions and the phenomenon of phase inversion have, even in the latest testbooks touching on these subjects, been described as mysterious, and it is deplorable that knowledge of a phenomenon on the face of i t simple, used by Nature and by industry on a large scale, should be just emerging from empirical practice. The fourth edition of Dr. Clayton’s book goes a long way to remedy this position. He realizes how the advances in knowledge of the physical chemistry of phenomena occurring a t interfaces (especially those occurring a t the oil-water interface), ever since Langmuir’s conception of orientation of molecules a t the air-water interface in 1917, are helping to elucidate the problems of emulsions and their technical applications. The book includes an excellent survey, with very full references t o the latest scientific work on the structure and nature of interfacial films, and solid particles a t interfaces; the substances used as emulsion-stabilizing agents which compose these films, their electrical, hydration, and dispersion properties; the interfacial viscosity and the viscosity of the emulsion phases; together with the latest work on particle-size distribution and adsorption of ions and protection against ions by protective colloids, etc.; also reactions taking place a t the interface and membranes composing special interfaces. Dr. Clayton gives a n unbiased view of all the theories relating to the stability of emulsions and the phenomenon of phase inversion, showing how each contributes t o the building up of a clear picture of the subject as a whole. He gradually merges all this scientific work into its technical implications, giving a very comprehensive list of patents for each industry involved. The book likewise includes a descript,ion both of the instruments used in the scientific work and of the technical machinery used in preparing emulsions. It is to be expected that with the advance of the scientific treatment of emulsions which this book gives, a great improvement will take place in their technical application and new uses will be found for them, especially in the technical biological fields of food and agriculture. The large number of new emulsifying agents which have been made available t o the research chemist by the emulsion industry is proving invaluable for many problems in colloid chemistry, and i t gives a source of supply of pure chemicals which would normally be very difficult t o come by. Most of these agents are also of considerable biological interest. These substances are listed in the references under the heading of “Complex organic emulsifying agents”; this elucidates the chemistry of many of the substances usually only known by trade names. The book is well bound and printed on exceptionally good paper. J. H. SCHULMAN. Mechanism and Chemical Kinetics of Organic Reactions i n Liquid Systems. Monograph reprinted from the Transactions of the Faraday Society. Si x 9 in.; 205 pp. London: Gurney and Jackson. Price: 15 s. This monograph is a reprint of material published in the Transactions of the Faraday Society 37, 601-806 (1941), disclosing a complete account of the papers presented before the members of the Faraday Society a t a symposium. The topics discussed in order were as follows: (1) Introductory Remarks-C. K. Ingold. (8) Mechanism and Kinetics of Substitution a t a Saturated Carbon Atom-E. D. Hughes. (S) Mechanism and Kinetics of Aromatic Side-chain Substitution. Interpretation of Reaction Data by the Method of Relative Energy Levels-J. W. Baker. (4) Activation Energy of Ionic Substitution-Baughan and Polanyi. (6) The Mechanism and Kinetics of Elimination Reactions-E. D. Hughes and C. K. Ingold. (6) Mechanism and Kinetics of Carboxylic Ester Hydrolysis and Carboxyl Esterification-N, E. Day and C. K. Ingold. (7) Mechanism of the Addition and Condensation Reactions of Carbonyl Compounds-H. B. Watson. (8) Some Observations Relating to the Prototropic Changes of Carbonyl Compounds-H. B. Watson. ( 9 ) Mechanism and Kinetics of Anionotropic Change-M. P. Balfe and J . Kenyon. (10) Kinetics and Mechanism of Some Electrophilic Benzene Substitution Reactions-A. E. Bradfield and B. Jones. (11) Mechanism and Kinetics of Additions t o Olefinic Compounds-Gwyn Williams. (fa) The Mechanism and Kinetics of
